The Bjelovar-Bilogora County has announced public calls for non-refundable support intended for businessmen, craftsmen and farmers for 22 measures for which HRK 5 million has been provided in the budget, reports Bjelovar-info.

It is one of the types of assistance of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County to the economy, crafts and agriculture, and in terms of the number of measures and funds provided, the Bjelovar-Bilogora County is at the very top in terms of grants, not only in the county area, but also beyond. All measures have been agreed upon precisely with those for whom they are intended, with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Agricultural Chambers in order to improve, expand and ensure the competitiveness of their business.

MEASURES FOR FARMERS

The comprehensive measures of non-reimbursable support for agricultural producers in 2020, for which HRK 4 million have been provided, are:

MEASURES FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND CRAFTSMEN

The public call for application of projects for the use of measures for the development of the economy and crafts in 2020, worth HRK 1 million, includes:

- Co-financing of documentation for businessmen's application to European Union funds and national sources

- Co-financing of documentation for the application of craftsmen to European Union funds and national sources

- Encouraging certification and introduction of quality systems at economic entities

- Co-financing of performances at fairs

- Support for newly opened trades that are engaged in the production of traditional products or services

-Co-financing the introduction of bike&bed standards

Also, Bjelovarski-info reports that the Bjelovar-Bilogor county has successfully defended itself against the coronavirus and that it is now facing a fight to preserve every job, and the county's subsidies go in the direction of stimulating the economy, crafts and agriculture.

Bjelovar-Bilogora county is also the largest investor in this part of Croatia with construction investments reaching half a billion kuna. This is a chance for all builders and related businesses to get work, especially now that the corona crisis has stopped practically all private investments and a good part of public ones.

Prefect Damir Bajs pointed out that starting the economy is a priority, and the proof of this is the investment cycles that have further intensified in Bjelovar-Bilogora County.

In recent years, until the corona crisis, the economy of Bjelovar-Bilogora County recorded a growth trend that manifested itself in double-digit numbers, whether it was employment growth, unemployment decline, investment in the economy, economic profit, the increase in the number of entrepreneurs, investment in fixed assets, and more.

He said about the whole situation and public calls to help the economy prefect Damir Bajs.

- If we talk about the time behind us, I must emphasize here that the time of the corona crisis meant the fight against the pandemic and concern for the health of our fellow citizens. However, although health is a priority, other effects of the corona crisis, namely the economy, should not be ignored. Therefore, the Bjelovar-Bilogora County, in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Crafts, wants to enable our businessmen to normalize the situation and return to work as before. The first set of measures we agreed on is related to investments, from the construction of the new building of the Bjelovar General Hospital to the renovation of our schools. Before us is the announcement of tenders for the continuation of the investment cycle, and we expect that businessmen from our area will apply for the tenders. In addition to the mentioned set of measures, the County is launching new Public Calls for 22 measures that will help entrepreneurs, craftsmen and farmers, rekao je župan and added that there are 16 measures for farmers and 6 for entrepreneurs and craftsmen.

The mayor also emphasized that the funds for the mentioned measures are provided in the county budget and that now the most important thing is to invest in those who are most at risk, namely the economy.

Regarding the county measures and the situation in which the craftsmen found themselves, the president of the BBŽ Chamber of Crafts said more Goran Grgić.

- Craftsmanship in our county had an exceptionally good year last year with a large increase in the number of craftsmen thanks to the measures; state, county and measures of some cities. We currently have only 10 trades less than we had at the beginning of the year, which we think is good. Of course, there are many bills coming due that may not have been visible immediately and we will need all possible support, naglasio je Grgić and continued on the county measures, highlighting in particular the measures from the previous package.

- In the financial sense, the most significant measures are from the previous package, and we are talking about energy projects for the construction sector, which will surely provide jobs for our builders, at least until the end of the year, and certainly during the spring of next year. The interest-free lending measure is slowly starting to become important, businesses are starting up and there is a lack of funds for working capital. Craftsmen see their interest in these six measures presented today, large funds from European funds will be available, and the projects are expensive. For most of my colleagues, this kind of help is valuable because it is very difficult, especially at this moment, to finance projects from which they could then receive money from European and domestic funds, explained the president of the BBŽ Chamber of Crafts, Goran Grgić.

Article taken from Bjelovarski-info.